Here’s the way I see it… you can either fight against your circumstances or you can stop and see what you can learn from them. At the moment I’m choosing the latter.

I think when uncomfortable things find their way into our lives it is our natural response to squirm and try to wiggle our way out of them. It doesn’t dawn on us that maybe that discomfort just might have a greater purpose in our lives. That if it’s present in our life maybe there’s is something we need to learn from it.

This is not meant to advocate apathy mind you. Sometimes you have to fight against circumstances to make it somewhere in life. But I’m talking about the uncomfortable seasons that God will sometimes take us through to help us learn and grow that we often run from.

God uses so many different things; people, places, events, circumstances to prune and refine us. This pruning and refining process is never easy or comfortable; but it’s so necessary. Trials and challenges grow us and teach us important lessons that we may not learn any other way. They make us better people; more compassionate, more patient, more caring, loving, and giving. They make us more beautiful on the inside. If that is we stop fighting against it and let God have his way in us.

” Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” – James 1:2-4 (New International Version)

Our limited human sight can’t see the big picture at work during these times but in hindsight it becomes clear. Why would we want to forfeit the beauty that God wants to grow in our hearts just to be comfortable? The beauty that lies ahead if we let God take us through the valleys far out weighs the temporary discomfort.

The hardest times in my life, the pain that I’ve gone through have truly made me better. There’s a depth of compassion and love that I would probably lack in had I not walked through some particularly hard things with someone I love. When I’ve gone through painful and uncomfortable things I’ve learned to run straight to the Lord. And he has always been faithful to take the discomfort and pain and turn it around for my good, just like Romans 8:28 says “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

So with all the beautiful pruning and refining he’s done in the garden of my heart thus far I know I can keep trusting him with the discomfort and pain. I know he’s going to keep making beautiful things out of this soil if I only let him.

So while some may call these circumstances that my family and I are facing now a “burden”, and some may wish it on us as a “punishment” … today I choose to never see it that way ever again. I will continue to pray, just as I did today, that we will have the strength that we need to lovingly and patiently make it through. And that in the process God will have his perfect way in us. That we would learn whatever lessons we need to learn through it, that we would grow and mature, and become more beautiful inside. That no matter how long this season lasts that we would honor this time in our lives by not murmuring and complaining but learning and growing. I don’t want to forfeit the blessing of this season by squirming my way out of it. Because I firmly believe in the end it will be worth it.

This is our season to learn what it means to truly love unconditionally. This is our season to grow in patience. This our season to deepen in compassion and tenderness. This is our season to forget ourselves and learn the meaning of selflessness. Our season to honor, respect, and give back the love we’ve received.

This is my new perspective and even when it gets stressful and hard – which it will – I will remember. So okay God, here I am, your student … ready to learn through the discomfort.

“Not the trials, mind you, but the invitation to believe God for victory has been a blast.” -Beth Moore, Believing God

4 Responses to The Beauty In Discomfort

Thanks for sharing your feelings and thoughts during this difficult time, Krystal. Your hopeful and positive outlook will help you cope with the things you are facing right now. God will bless your faith and make you stronger through this!

Two quotes by Jon Foreman came to mind when reading your blog:

“Physics tells us that everything on this planet will fail us eventually. Trust someone, fall in love: your scars will tell the same story. Entropy, pain, beauty, love, hope… mix them together and call it living. The choice that remains is where we go to find meaning and truth. The biggest failures and disappointments in my life have led me to look beyond what money or power or friends can buy. When you’re face down at the very bottom of who you are, and there is no formality or pretence to cling to, all your masks fall off. In this broken place, our lives can be seen for what they are, no more no less; we are ourselves. The question is this: What happens after the twin towers in our lives fall? Do we become bitter and hateful or does redemption come into focus? I’ve been on both sides…only one is beautiful.”

“When our world falls apart and we have no more faces to wear, that’s when it’s beautiful, and that’s when we change.”

Thanks for your comment Amanda! 🙂 Those are definitely among my favorite quotes from Jon! I so agree when he says that only one side is beautiful. There have been so many times I’ve gone through things and instead of running to the Lord with it and letting him turn it around for my good, I’ve run to bitterness and hardness. Praise God that I’m finally learning how to run to the beautiful side, to a place where he can use the pain for something good in my life.

Very inspiring post. You are so very right on it makes me smile! It is scary sometimes how God uses the craziest circumstances and seemingly ‘chance’ happenings to keep us growing in Him.

This is our season to learn what it means to truly love unconditionally. This is our season to grow in patience. This our season to deepen in compassion and tenderness. This is our season to forget ourselves and learn the meaning of selflessness. Our season to honor, respect, and give back the love we’ve received.

Thanks so much for your comment, Chason! I apperciate the feedback! 🙂 One thing I’m learning more and more all the time is that the pain we go through will never be in vain. He’s always faithful to turn it around for our good. Thanks again for reading!